Raish Ahmed’s family speaks out

The household of a person who was murdered by his neighbour say he was “failed by London”, criticising an absence of motion by authorities to guard him.

Raish Ahmed, 50, was repeatedly stabbed exterior his block of flats in east London in October final yr by Daniel Whybrow, 46, in entrance of horrified neighbours in a dispute over the principle communal door being left open.

Final week, Whybrow was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Courtroom to life with a minimal time period of 24 years after being convicted of homicide and inflicting grievous bodily hurt.

Mr Ahmed’s household and neighbours say they’d complained for months over Whybrow’s aggressive and anti-social behaviour and that the police and council ought to have completed extra.

Mohammad Hasan, a pal and neighbour of Mr Ahmed, described him as “an exquisite particular person” and a loving and devoted father.

“He was very pleasant, jolly, blissful, he was spreading pleasure.”

Mr Ahmed and his household moved in to their block of flats in Hartingdon Street in Canning City in 2020, after coming to the UK from Bangladesh in 2015.

He juggled two jobs, working as a safety guard on the Victoria and Albert Museum and as an Uber driver, and was additionally a carer for his spouse.

“He would work evening shifts, then within the morning, when he got here house, he took his sons to the varsity and cooked meals and went to mattress for a few hours, then he’d go and choose up the children,” stated Mr Hasan.

“I’ve by no means seen him complain.”

He stated Mr Ahmed was well-liked in the local people, at all times welcoming to everybody.

Whybrow, then again, was described at his sentencing by Decide Murray Shanks as “something however a very good neighbour” who had behaved in an “extraordinarily territorial and aggressive manner”.

The courtroom was instructed of a earlier incident, in July, the place Whybrow known as police after a row with one other household within the street, however discovered him being abusive in the direction of them.

Mohammad Hasan described Whybrow as “boastful” and stated some neighbours had been afraid of him.

“If we are saying ‘good morning’, no response, nothing. He was at all times in a preventing mode. Everybody tried to maintain a distance from him.”

Mr Hasan stated he had requested Whybrow to maintain his music down, which was disturbing different residents within the early hours of the morning, however was ignored and so he complained to the council.

In a letter seen by BBC London, the council instructed Mr Hasan in April 2024 that the occupant had been given a warning, issued with a tenancy breach order and was being monitored.

The next month, one other letter was despatched to Mr Ahmed’s household after in addition they complained, assuring them that they’d write to the occupant of the flat to “tackle the unacceptable behaviour”.

Nevertheless, residents say the issues continued and additional complaints had been made.

Mr Hasan stated he was stunned on 5 October to get a name from his pal, who sounded “very upset”.

“He stated, ‘Are you able to come, this man attacked me. I do not know why, I simply closed the principle door. He is threatening me.'”

The door to their communal block of flats was alleged to be saved shut and Mr Ahmed was fearful about security, however Whybrow had pinned the door open whereas he labored on his bike.

Mr Hasan stated he went downstairs and couldn’t see any signal of his pal, however as a substitute noticed Whybrow “with a really indignant look on him”.

“I stated, ‘Are you OK?’ He simply checked out me.”

The homicide trial heard that Whybrow had threatened Mr Ahmed and he had known as 999, fearing for his security.

“He was scared,” stated Mr Hasan, “that is why he known as 999. Police did not arrive. Police did not take it critically at the moment.”

Mr Hasan stated he went again inside, however Mr Ahmed known as him once more, asking him to return exterior so they might speak to Whybrow collectively.

“I stated, ‘Hear, we’re neighbours, we have to type this out, let’s come to an settlement. As a result of he closed the (communal) door, it doesn’t suggest you are going to assault on him. You possibly can’t do that.'”

He stated Whybrow swore and racially abused them because the row turned bodily, with Whybrow reaching by his kitchen window to seize a knife.

The boys tried to get away, however Mr Ahmed both slipped, or fell, after being hit within the face, earlier than Whybrow repeatedly stabbed him as he lay on the bottom.

A 16-year-old boy was additionally injured as he tried to guard Mr Ahmed.

“The previous individuals, the children, they had been all watching,” stated Mr Hasan. “This was all in entrance of everybody.

“He was swearing, ‘Who’s going to return subsequent? Who’s subsequent?'”

Whybrow was arrested in his flat and the courtroom heard he continued to be aggressive, making racist feedback to 2 Asian law enforcement officials.

Mr Ahmed, who had been stabbed within the chest and thigh, died two days later in hospital, along with his household and pal by his bedside.

“I used to be praying to God, perhaps some miracle can occur,” stated Mr Hasan.

“Typically I really feel like perhaps I am dreaming, Raish remains to be alive.”

He stated the assault had left him traumatised, however that it had been far worse for Mr Ahmed’s household, who’ve felt unable to return to dwelling of their house and have been sharing a lodge room.

Whybrow was discovered responsible at a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Courtroom final month of homicide and inflicting grievous bodily hurt however was acquitted of racially aggravated assault and threats to kill in opposition to Mr Ahmed.

Sentencing Whybrow, Decide Shanks stated though he couldn’t say the assault was racially motivated, Whybrow had displayed “racial hostility”.

The courtroom heard Whybrow had beforehand been convicted of utilizing threatening phrases and behavior and of possessing a weapon, and that he suffered from post-traumatic stress dysfunction after a deadly fireplace at a block of flats.

In a press release supplied to BBC London, Mr Ahmed’s spouse Jannatul Mauwa stated their household had been left “damaged”.

“He was like a fowl that saved us wrapped within the shelter of his wings to maintain us heat and protected and now we’re beneath the shelter of God. He was variety. He was devoted. He was uncommon.”

She stated that males like him “didn’t actually exist any extra”.

“He gave every thing he had, and in the long run he gave even his life.”

She added that he had been let down by “the police, who ignored warnings; the council, who turned their again on communities” and stated London was “a metropolis that lets racism and violence fester within the open”.

“My husband ought to nonetheless be alive. He was murdered by a knife – however he was failed by London.”

Following the homicide, native residents held a stroll of solidarity in Mr Ahmed’s reminiscence, criticising an absence of motion in opposition to anti-social behaviour, crime and racism in the direction of the Muslim and Bangladeshi group.

Virtually a yr on, Mohammad Nuruzzaman from the Darul Arqam Masjid and Muslim Neighborhood Centre stated there had been “no significant enchancment” and that many individuals nonetheless felt “unsupported and unprotected”.

Mr Hasan stated that neighbours had been left feeling unsafe.

“Within the final three months, automobiles have been stolen, our neighbours’ automobiles have been vandalised, one automobile had stabbed tyres.”

He agrees with Mr Ahmed’s household that extra ought to have been completed to behave on complaints about Whybrow.

“They did not take the delinquent experiences critically. In the event that they took it critically, they might have moved him to completely different locations and this particular person wouldn’t have died.”

A Newham council spokesperson stated they take all complaints “extraordinarily critically” and are “dedicated to proving clear steering and help” to residents.

“The tragic lack of Mr Ahmed has undoubtedly brought on deep misery and concern inside the group, and our ideas are with everybody affected.

“We wish to reassure the household and the broader group that we are going to proceed offering help with compassion, care, and the utmost respect to these affected.”

The Metropolitan Police have been contacted for remark.